Voice paging system



July 20, 1954 c. E. LOMAX ETAL- 2,684,406

VOICE PAGING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 21, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 'MUL'IT TO OTHER FINDERS DISTRIBUTOR IN V EN TORS. CLARENCE E. LOMAX BY ROSWELL H. HERRICK ATTORNEY cu S? u.

July 20, 1954 c. E. LOMAX ETAL VOICE PAGING SYSTEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 21, 1950 V hmv M mmi vm mm;

wmv

I N VEN FORS.

K Y X I C E m m OR E O H T E A T EH %W A CL NI- E mm .a CR V. B

July 20, 1954 c. E. LOMAX ETAL VOICE meme SYSTEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 21, 1950 INVENTORS. CLARENCE E. LOMAX h ROSWELL H. HERRICK Q BY flwfiw ATTORNEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 mmmrzwI July 20, 1954 c. E. LOMAX ETAL VOICE PAGING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 21, 1950 ATTORNEY $2 52, K E m I 2w R NOE min E o C Nmw H WE m6 mw n 4 1 j c n\ L E301 mow m h 2200 NNVW C IN Q8 9% U ww wow 5.5.. .v8 Jtflw U-F l 0mm wmwsn Em lnr mmw n H zo. HI H o o 8 $8 I g rwwvhw mom www .J u mhw 53 i NB mm Now mm=h= n z mo A i m l v v v 3% n mz m m E9. 36 w E UNITED STATEfi i ATENT OFFICE VOICE PAGING SYSTEM Clarence E. Lomax, Chicago, 111., and Roswell H. Herrick, Lorain, Ohio, assignors to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc. Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application December 21, 1950, Serial No. 201,914

20 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a private automatic telephone system and more particularly to voice paging systems therefor; and still more particularly it relates to systems wherein certain lines or substations only may establish voice paging calls.

Accordingly, it is the main object of the invention to provide two separate and distinct improved voice paging systems, incorporated into the overall telephone system, wherein substations having access to one of the voice paging systems may or may not have access to the other, depending on a predetermined selection.

It is another object of the invention to proing calls over voice pager A and voice pager B, as well as regular substation to substation calls. Substation B can only be used for regular substation to substation calls, or for voice paging calls over voice pager A.

Fig. 2 shows a distributor for the finder circuits.

Fig. 3 shows a voice paging finder for voice pager A.

Fig. 4 shows a connector circuit.

Fig. 5 shows voice pager A.

Fig. 6 shows voice pager B.

Fig. '7 shows the arrangement of the drawings.

It should be understood, of course, that only two lines and four substations are shown for vid an automatically t d i ui means illustration purposes. Likewise it should be unjn each paging system for signalling occupants, delfStOQd that the line having substations A and of certain rooms at various times of the daysuch thereon Could have been ShOWIl as having as, for example, starting and dismissal signals. access 130 V0108 pager A by mer y connecting 11D th objetc of t i ti is t p gvide the EC bank in a similar manner as that shown a, paging system wherein the regular trunk cirfor the line having SllbStZLtiOllS B and B thereon. cuits are only used momentarily for setting up A180 y providlng a p -butt appropriately a voice paging call; the calling line then being Connected, at Substations VOiCe D directly connected to a voice paging system, s service v r v i pager B w uld be possible thereby freeing the trunk circuits for regular t ti t Substation 11 The rotary switches shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 Another object of the invention is to provide y be of the p described in the Pending a oice paging System wherein a oice pager or application Of Kenneth W. et 31., Serial voice paging amplifier is reached from a set of 554,556, fi d March 15, 1946- terminals in the banks of a connector, all lines Briefly eXplalned, t System includes a Small having access to the terminals, but only certain 3o 20 line regular X with two different Voice lines allowed to completely connect with the voice paging circuits n order to reach voice pager A pager. or voice paging amplifier A, a calling or paging In accordanc ith th above enumerated subscriber dials a certain digit, 1 in the present jects, a feature of the invention resides in the embodiment; wh p n he v i e p in find r means for allowing only certain substations to will be set into operation to find the calling line. establish voice paging calls over one or both of Assuming now t at t e caning Subscribed Wi5hthe voice paging systems. ing to page over voice pager A is calling from Another feature of the invention is the proa, line having its associated contact in the voice vision of a momentary signal to notify the caller paging finder EC bank marked, the voice paging that voice paging may be accomplished, while finder willfind that calling line. The voice pagat the same time notifying the people in proxing finder automatically connects the calling line imity to h voice p i l d p k h to voice pager A. The finder-connector link will paging immediately will f w then be freed for use by other lines. A momen- Other objects and features will be evident and t t is placed on th li i Order t inform a complete understanding of the operation may 5 the calling Subscriber that he may 119W b h from a perusal of t e p fi on in mence with paging and also to inform the occuconiunction with the accompanying drawings, in pants of the room wherein t voice paging load which: speakers are located that the calling or paging 1 shows two 111195 associated With a fi subscriber is about to speak. In order to reach lar finder circuit. Substations A and A can only voice pager B 01' voice paging amplifier B a nbe used for regular substation to substation calls. Substation B, by virtue of cut-in non-locking push button t? and also by virtue of a marking on the EC bank, both features to be completely described hereinafter, can be used to initiate paging or paging subscriber dials a certain digit, two in the present embodiment; whereupon the connector will step to the second set of contacts to connect to voice pager B. However the voice paging circuit is normally marked busy. Assuming now that the calling subscribed is calling from a substation equipped with a cut-in on busy push button, the normal busy condition of. voice pager B will be removed for subsequent paging. A momentary tone is then trans. ited to both the calling subscriber and to the people in proximity to the voice paging loud speakers for similar reasons as set'forth hereinbefore. Thus it can be seen that there are two independent restricted voice paging circuits; one utilizing aregular finder-connector link momentarily while the other utilizes it throughout paging.

The maximum number of lines served by the illustrated exchange is lines, as stated hereinbefore, and the number of finder-connector links may be limited to not more than four. Two lines have been shown with two parties each and are so arranged as to be rung on the opposite sides of the lines. Each substation comprises'the wellknown elements, namely, dial, receiver, transmitter, and ringer. Only the ringer connection at each substation has been shown, and a designation illustrating the substations call numbers. All regular numbers are two digit numbers, and assuming that a full capacity of 26 lines are in use and that each line has two parties thereon, the call numbers will be arranged in the followingorder: the digits 31 to and 41 to will be used for the first group of ten lines and the digits 51 to and 61 to 66 will he used for the second group of ten lines. The digits 31 to 30 and 51 to 50 will cause the ringing voltage source to be applied to the positive line conductors and the digits all to 40 and 61 to 60 will cause the rin ing voltage source to be applied to the negatively. The third and fourth contacts of the w same switch are utilized for the first digit of the called number when dialling the first group of ten lines and the 15th contact is used as a stopping point for the first digit of the called number when dialling the second group of ten lines. Thus, it can .beseen that the first group of ten lines uses contacts five through fourteen and the second, or last, group of ten lines uses contacts sixteen through twenty-five. The regular finder rotary switch as well as the voice paging finder rotary switch are of the non-numerical type and therefore do not use the twenty-sixth or home position, whereas, the connector rotary switch is numerical and therefore uses its home position.

Referring to Fig. 1, the combined line and cutoff relays, such as 30 and 36, are actually two step relays having two separate and distinct operations, the first operation closing only the X contacts and the second closing the remaining contacts. The first operation compares with that of a line relay and the second operation with that of a cut-off relay.

Referring to Fig. 2, the distributor as shown is of the rotary type, pre-selecting the next free or idle finder connector link after each operation. Therefore, during normal operating periods of the exchange, the wipers of the rotary distri" butor switch will be resting on an idle link.

In order to completely understand the invention, a detailed description of the three principal types of services, namely, regular substation to substation calls, voice paging calls over voice pager A, and voice paging calls over voice pager B, will now be given.

Regular P. A. X service Assuming that substation A has been assigned call number 35 a call thereto from substation B will be accomplished in the following manner:

When a subscriber at substation B removes the r ceiver a loop is closed across the talking conductors completing a circuit to the line and cutoff relay l Relay 46 therefore operates over the following circuit: ground at contacts 43, line conductor +L, over subscribers loop at substation 3, line conductor L, contacts All, through upper winding of relay :30, through lower winding of relay ii! to battery. As previously stated, relay ie is a two-step line and cut-oilrelay having two serially connected windings, operating X contacts 42 and X contacts 35 responsive to the initial energization. Relay 9, in closing X potential to be applied to control conductor E94, Relay is also, in closing contacts t5, causes ground potential to be applied to the distributor start conductor ifit for completing a circuit to the distributor start relay 2H3. Relay Zlll therefore operates over the following circuit: ground at contacts 55-, contacts :35, distributor start conductor 599, contacts 262', through distributor start relay 2), contacts 20!, 2'56, through distributor motor magnet 2l5 to battery. Motor magnet 2?? will not operate in series with distributor start relay 2H9. As previously mentioned the distributor is of the rotary type and after each operation pre-selects the next idle or free finder connector'link. Wipers 2% and "206 will therefore rest on an idle or freelink if a free trunk is at this time'available. However, if all links are busy at this time, the operating circuit of the all-links-busy relay 2% would be open. The all-links-busy relay 2% normally operates over the following path: ground from any idle or free link, such as at contact hid in the illustrated link, contacts 199, busy switch, conductor 25?, through all-links-busy relay 260 to battery. Relay 2% will restore when all links are busy and cause the circuit to motor magnet 2l'5 to be opened at contacts 2E5, thereby preventing motor magnet 215 from operating and opening the circuit of relay 2H3 at'contacts 262. As soon as a link becomes free, the ground potential is restored to the conductor 25? and alllinks-busy relay 29%! operates again and prepares the circuit to motor magnet. The operating circuit for motor magnet 275 will be completed if wiper 26$ is resting on a contact of a busy finder. The motor magnet 2Y5 will then operate and step the finder distributor rotary switch to an idle link.

Returning now to the operation of relay Zlil, the opening of contacts Zli opens a point in the energizing circuit of motor magnet 23'5. Relay are, closing contacts 253, completes a circuit for relay 2253 which is slightly slow-to-operate due to its short circuit-ed upper winding; in closing contacts 2H3, applies ground to the multiple circuit for maintainin relay 2% operated, in closing contacts iii, prepares an operating circuit for relay 25c; and closing contacts completes an obvious pie-energizing circuit for relay 258. 'Relay'22t, in operating and therefore closing contacts completes a circuit for but,

contacts 32, causes battery the slow-to-operate relay 23B; and in' closing contacts 222, prepares a circuit for relay 260. Relay 230 therefore operates and, in closing contacts 23!, completes a circuit to the finder start relay I!!! (Fig. 1), over the following path: ground at contacts 23! wiper 2%, conductor 24?, through finder start relay I It to battery. Relay 230, in closing contacts 232, prepares a circuit for motor magnet 215, in closing contacts 233, prepares a kick off circuit for motor magnet 2'15; in opening contacts 23s, opens the circuit for the upper winding of relay 220, thereby conditioning relay 229i for a normal quick restoring time interval; in closing contacts 235 applies another ground to the multiple circuit for maintaining 2M energized; and in closing contacts 236, pro pares circuits for voice paging finder motor manet I9'i' and finder cut-through relay toil.

Relay He therefore operates and, in closing contacts 5 i l completes obvious circuit for line relay I2t through resistor RI. Relay H), in closing contacts H2 prepares a circuit for the finder cut-through relay toll; in closing contacts H3, prepares a circuit for the preenergized relay 25B and in closing contacts H 5, completes a circuit for motor magnet liil. Line relay I20 therefore operates and, in closing contacts I2I, completes an obvious circuit for the slow-to-release hold relay use. Hold relay i361 therefore operates and, in closing contacts i3l, prepares a circuit for operatingthe line and cut-0E relay 4t? completely; in closing contacts E32, repares a pulsing circuit to the connector motor magnet 420; and in opening contacts I33, opens a point in the self-interrupted circuit of motor magnet 4%. Meanwhile, finder motor magnet Isl operates over the following path: ground at contacts 235, contacts 245, 252, conductor 2H, contacts H2, till, through finder motor magnet I ii? to battery. Motor magnet I9'!, in operating, completes an obvious circuit to the interrupter relay 2% at contacts I93. Relay 240 therefore operates and, in opening contacts 2 3i, opens the previously traced operating circuit for motor magnet 59?, allowing said magnet to restore. In restoring, magnet I97, being of the indirect drive type, advances finder rotary wipers E25, l2'i, E23 and I29, one step; and in opening contacts 93, opens the circuit to relay 24o. Relay 24E] therefore restores and again completes the operating circuit to magnet I9? by way of contacts 24!. Magnet l9! re-energizes and at contacts let again completes the circuit to relay 240. Relay 24c operates and at contacts 2M opens the circuit to magnet E97, allowing it to restore. In restoring, magnet I9? advances wipers E26, 52?, i28 and E29 a second step; and at contacts H93 again opens the circuit to relay 24s, allowing it to restore. This relay interrupted operation continues until wiper I28 engages the bank contact terminating the control conductor I94; at which time a circuit is completed for the preenergized relay 252, over the following path: ground at contacts 2;!5, through upper winding of relay 25G, conductor 22?, contacts IE3, wiper I28, conductor I92, contacts 52, through lower winding of relay 46, to battery. Calling line B has now been found. Relay 25c operates and, in opening contacts 252, opens the operating circuit of motor magnet lil'i, thereby preventing it from operating. Wipers 26 to I29 will now be resting on the contacts of calling line B.

Relay 256, in closing contacts 25!, completes a circuit to the finder cut-through relay Eilil, over the following path: ground at contacts 236, contacts 24!, 25!, conductor 237, contacts H2,

through finder cut-through relay I M to bat tery. Relay 2% also, in closing contacts 253, completes an obvious circuit to the total call meter 285; and in opening contacts 254, opens the locking circuit of relay 2'36. Finder cutthrough relay (it) therefore operates and, in closing contacts till and IE3, connects the talking conductors of calling line B to the finder connector link. Relay H30, in closing contacts I02, completes a circuit for transmission of dial tone back out over the positive talking conductor to the calling station B for indicating to the calling subscriber that he may proceed with dialling. Relay H30, in closing contacts I04, completes a circuit for completely energizing line outofi relay 455, over the following path: ground at contacts I35, contacts EM, wiper i 28, conductor i594, X contacts 42, through the lower winding of relay to to battery. The operation of contacts HM also shunts the upper winding 258, but relay 2% once operated will remain so by the holding effect of its lower winding. The ground potential at contacts 55E also busies line B to other finders and is applied to the rotary connector switches in order to busy the link to incoming calls over the following path: ground at contacts iii, contacts lil l, wiper I28, conductor I94, X contacts 32, conductor we, cable C E80, conductor I93 to the control bank contact on the connector bank. Relay itlii, in closing contacts 505, completes an obvious holding circuit for itself by way of ground on contacts I3I through contacts ifii. Relay We, in closing contacts I05, prepares a future locking circuit for relays I is and 4M, and supplies a working ground for various other relays in the finder connector link. Relay lflil, in opening contacts H31, opens another point in the circuit of finder motor magnet I91; and in closing contacts I98, completes a circuit for energizing distributor motor magnet 2'55, over the following path: ground on contacts I08, conductor 26?, wiper 2&5, contacts 232, through motor magnet 215 to battery. Distributor motor magnet 2'55 therefore operates.

Relay lfl, in operating completely (second step) and therefore opening contacts 4! and 43, opens its previously traced (first step) operating circuit; and in opening contacts 24 removes ground from the distributor start conductor 399. Distributor start relay 2E9, circuit having been traced hereinbefore, therefore restores. In restoring, and therefore closing contacts 2 l I, relay 2 Ill closes a point in the normal operating circuit of distributor motor magnet 2'55. Relay 2m, in restoring and in therefore opening contacts 2I3, opens the energizing circuit to relay 22% causing it to restore. Relay 255, in restoring and opening contacts 2 l4, removes a ground from the multiple circuit of all-links-busy relay zoo; in opening contacts 21! 5, removes ground from the previously opened circuit of relay 256; and in opening contacts 2H5, opens the pro-energizing and hold circuit of relay 2%, allowing it to restore. Relay 256, in restoring and therefore opening contacts 25E opens the previously traced energizing circuit of relay Still. Relay 2% also, opening contacts 253, opens the circuit to meter 235. Relay Hill, however, remains energized over its previ ously traced locking circuit. Relay 229, in restoring and therefore opening contacts 22 I, opens the energizing circuitof relay 230. Relay 23!) therefore restores and, in opening contacts 23L opens the previously traced. circuit to finder start relay H0. Relay its also in restoring and opening contacts 232 opens the holding circuit for distributor'motor magnet 275,..a1lowing magnet 235 to restore. Motor magnet 2E5, being' of the indirect drive type, rotatesits wipers onestep- Relay 2%, in restoring and therefore opening contacts 235, removes a ground from the multiple circuit to all-links-busy relay 2%; and in openingv contacts 235, further opensa point in the operating circuit of finder motor magnet iS'i. Assuming that wiper 265 has stepped to a busy link, distributor motor magnet 2'55 will rotate its wipers until wiper 285 encounters a contact (corresponding to an idle finder connector link) having no ground potential thereon. Motor magnet 215 would; operate, self interrupted, over the following path: ground on a busy contact (if busy), wiper 26%, contacts 28!, Zili, 2'56, through motor magnet Zia-to battery. The distributor will then be conditioned to handle a'future call.

Relay Hi; therefore restores and, in opening contacts Hi removes the bridge from line relay I2il. Relay I2 3, however, remains operated over the closed loop at substation R, as wipers 4.. and 6275 are now connected thereto. Relay H6, in restoring and therefore opening contacts H2, further opens the initial energizing circuit of finder start relay itt. Relay Hill, however, remains operated over the previously traced circuit via contacts Hit, it! and E95. Relay Hi}, in'restoring and therefore opening contacts H3, further opens the energizing circuit of relay 2%; and in opening contacts 'i M, further opensthe energizing circuit of finder motor magnet 91.

The subscriber at substation 3, upon hearing.

dial tone, proceeds to dial. As the number assigned to substation A is 36, the tens digit'3 is; of course, dialled first. Line relay. I220 therefore responds to the opening and closing of the sub-' scribers loop circuit and restores and operatesthree times) and completes a circuit to relay 4m and connector motor magnet 190; over the following path: ground at contacts E22, contacts I32, conductor E56, contacts 481, 535,;to the left over conductor 158, contacts M2; conductor 15?, through the winding of relay 416 to battery;

and. from ground at contacts 222, contacts 32,.

conductor ifit, contacts on, 435, through connector moto magnet 4% to battery; Relay A79 therefore operates and, in closing contacts ill,

completes an obvious energizing circuit for'relay 4%; in opening-contacts M2, removes ground from wipers 468 and 469 during the pulsing period; and in closing contacts 4'13, completesa' circuit for itself effective during pulsing, independent of the busy relay contacts 435. Motor magnet 220 energizes and, at contacts 49!, opens a point in its interrupter circuit. Motor magnet lfifi'will, of course, operate three times responsive to each deenergization of line relay 20. Relay MEI and relay 560, being or the sloW-to-release type will however both remain operated during the dialling period. Relay 460, in'closing contacts 52, prepares a circuit to busy relay 43c; and in closing contacts 464, maintains the pulsing circuit complete;

As previously stated, wipers 465 to 469, inclusive, are resting on the home or twentysixth position of the rotary switch actuated by connector-motor magnet 499; therefore, as magnet 498 restores responsive to the-first" pulse,

8. wipers 465 to 469'are advanced one step. Offnormal springs 415 close as the wipers leave their home position-and complete a circuit to relay I40 via conductor I53. Relay I46 therefore operates, and in opening contacts Ml, removes dial tone from the calling line; in opening contacts Hi2, opens the original energizing circuit for relay 4'10; and in closing contacts [43, applies ground to conductor 26? to mark this finder as busy to the distributor. Relay M0 in operating, and therefore closing contacts [45, prepares the self-interrupter circuit of connector motor magnet 5%. It can be seen that the second dial pulse will energize relay 419 through contacts 473 instead of the now open contacts M2. The second and third pulses operate the motor magnet over the circuit previously traced.

At the end of the third pulse, line relay H20 again energizes and opens the circuit to magnet 4% at contacts i'22. Magnet 1%, in restoring, rotates wipers 4 55 to 369 a third step to the third contact of each bank. The dialling of the tens digit 3 is now completed and the circuit to relay are has been opened at contacts iii, causing relay M0 to restore. Relay i'ifi, in restoring and therefore opening contacts 3H, opens the energizing circuit to relay 4%; in closing contacts 4'52, restores ground to wipers 58 and 459 for completing a circuit to relay sec. Relay MN] therefore operates, over the following path: ground at contacts Hit, conductor i525, contacts 412, wiper 458 and the third contact, conductor !53, contacts PM, conductor MS, through relay 490 to battery. Relay 6%, in restoring and therefore closing contacts 46!, prepares a circuit for the lower winding of relay 68c; and in opening contacts 552, opens the circuit to busy relay 436.

Relay 3%, in operating and therefore closing contacts 492 and 394, prepares a ringing circuit over the positive talking conductor for later ringing the subscriber at substation A. As the ringer for substation A is on the negative talking conductor, it will not operatev Relay 45!), in closing contacts 455, completes its own energizing circuit from ground at contacts Hi5 via conductor I55; and in closing contacts 5%, completes a circuit to motor magnet tai Motor magnet 490 therefore operates over the following path: ground at contacts Hi6, conductor I55,

contacts 312, wiper 589 and its engaged third contact, contacts see, conductor E59, contacts l'l'l, conductor 564, contacts Q83, l9l, through motor magnet 499, to battery. Motor magnet in operating, opens its own'energizing circuitat contacts lti and thereby restores. The wipers 465 to 459 therefore step to the fourt contact. Contacts it! close once again but as the fourth contact on bank M9 is not connected the energizing circuit to motor magnet 499 remains open. However, when wiper 6&8 engages the fourth contact a circuit is completed to relay l'm, over the following path: ground at contacts I06, conductor contacts M2, wiper 468 and its engaged fourth contac-, conductor 54, through relay lit to battery.

Relay no therefore operates and, in closing contacts I ll, prepares a circuit for cut-through relay 489; and in closing contacts H3, prepares a circuit for cut-in on busy service which will be discussed hereinafter. Relay Ht, in opening contacts I'i l, opens the initial energizing circuit for'relay we; and in closing contacts H5, completes a locking circuit for itself from ground on contacts I86. Relay no, in closing contacts I Hiiprepares a circuit for relay M6; and in opening contacts I 11, opens the line group interrupter circuit to motor magnet 490.

The system is now conditioned for subsequent dialling of the second, or units, digit, namely 6 in the present illustration. Responsive to dialling, line relay in will deenergize and energize six times. Each time line relay iZil restores, responsive to each of the six pulses, contacts IZI will open. Relay I31), being of the slow-to-release type, will again remain energized during the dialling period of the second digit. Responsi-ve to the first pulse of the second digit, relay I restores and therefore closes contacts I22, energizing motor magnet 8% and relay 4'50 over the following path: ground at contacts I22, contacts I 32, conductor I56, contacts 482', contacts 435, to the left over conductor E58, contacts I16, conductor I51, through relay tit to battery; and from ground at contacts I22, contacts 32, conductor I58, contacts 43 435, to the right and through connector motor magnet 90 to battery. Relay 410, in operating and closing contacts M l, completes a circuit to relay 460; in opening contacts 4-12, removes ground potential from wipers 458 and 469'; and in closing contacts a l?) provides a different operating circuit for itself. Connector motor magnet Mi l, in operating and opening contacts i-QI, opens a point in its interrupter circuit. At the end of the first pulse line relay I26 of course, operates and opens the circuit for relay cit as well as motor magnet see. Relay Ali being of the slow-to-release type, will remain operated. Relay 669, in closing contacts 462, prepares a circuit for busy relay 43B, and in closing contacts 454 maintains the pulsing circuit in case busy relay 330 should operate before pulsing is completed. The succeeding five pulses will operate connector motor magnet 490 over the circuit previously traced. Wipers s65 to 469 have now stepped six additional steps to the tenth contact in the banks. Relay All! will restore and, in opening contacts 41!, opens the circuit to relay 460; in closing contacts 672, re'- storesground to wipers tssand 465i; and in open-' ing contacts 413, opens the holding circuit to relay 410. During the time wipers ifil' first engages its tenth contact and before relay 460 has restored a busy test of the called line (36) is made. If the called line should be busy a ground potential would be impressed on the con trol bank contact. This ground would be encountered by wiper 46? to operate relay 4%, over the following path: ground on wiper 46?, conductor I38, contacts III, conductor !39, contacts 462, through busy relay 4% to battery. Relay 430 would therefore operate and, in closing contacts 43 I, would cause busy tone to be transmitted back out over the positive talking conductor to inform the calling subscriber of the busy condition. However, in the present illustration'it will be assumed that the called line (36) is not busy and thereforeno ground will be encountered by wiper 46'! to operate busy relay 439.

Relay 460, in restoring and therefore opening contacts 462 and closing contacts 46!, completes a circuit to the cut-through relay 480, over the following path: ground at contacts I12, conductor I48, contacts 455, 32, through lower winding of relay tail, contacts 656, 46!, conductor I39, contacts Ill, conductor I35, wiper 461 and its engaged tenth contact, conductor I89, cable Clti), conductor I89, through line cut-ofi relay 3L3 to battery. Relay 38 therefore operates and, in opening contacts 3!, opens the circuit to its upperwinding; in opening contacts 33, re-

'10 moves ground from the positive talking conductor; in closing contacts 32, busies line 36 at the finder banks; and in opening contacts 34, prevents ground from starting the distributor. Relay res, therefore operates and closes X contacts tilt initialiy for completing a locking circuit for itself, over the following path: ground at contacts IE2, conductor I65, X contacts 435, through relay set to battery. Relay stir] in operating, and therefore closing contacts 33!, prepares a circuit for ring back tone; and in closing contacts 482 and 83, connects the talking conductors to the connector wipers. A circuit is now c mpleted forringing the subscriber at substation a, over the following path: ground at ringer at substation A, assocaited condenser, positive talking conductor +L, conductor I9I, cable C180, conductor I9I, wiper M56, contacts 333, 592, through the lower winding of ring cut-oil relay sze to interrupter generator. Relay iSt, in closing contacts 84, applies ground for preparing a circuit through the upper winding of relay Mill; and also provides an additional busy ground on the control conductor of sub- F station A. Relay 536, in opening contacts 4%,

opens its original energizing circuit; in opening contacts 43?, opens the pulsing circuit; and in opening contacts @138, opens the interrupter circuit to motor magnet 490.

Upon hearing the ringer, the subscriber at substation A removes the receiver. The switchhook (not shown) is therefore operated and completes acircuit through the lower winding of ring cut-off over the following path: ground at contacts sti l, 42L 482, wiper 465 and its engaged tenth contact, conductor I88, cable case, conductor I88, negative talking conductor L, closed loop at substation A, positive talking conductor +L, conductor Isl, cable Clfii], conductor Nil, wiper 466, contacts 483, 424, 402, through lower winding of relay 426 to battery. Relay 62%] operates and locks itself through contacts B25 over the following path: ground at contacts 634, conductor E38, contacts I'II, conductor I39, contacts 526, through upper winding of relay 420 to battery. Relay 420, in operating and therefore opening contacts 423 and 225-, removes ring back tone and ringing current from the calling and called lines respectively; and in closing contacts 422 and 425, connects the back bridge relay flit across the called line. The system is now conditioned for conversation between the subscriber at substation B and the subscriber at substation A, the complete talking circuit being traced over the following path: loop circuit at substation B, positive talking conductor +L, finder wiper I21, contacts E03, condenser C2, conductor I36, contacts 425, contacts 483, connector wiper 466 and its engaged tenth contact, conductor i9I, cable CI 80, conductor ISI, positive talking conductor +L, loop circuit at substation A, negative talking conductor L, conductor I88, cable CI8D,

conductor I88, connector wiper 465, contacts 482, 322, conductor I35, condenser CI, contacts IIlI, finder wiper 26 negative talking conductor --L, and back to the loop circuit at substation B. Line relay I20 supplies talking battery for the calling line while battery at back bridge relay Ms supplies taiking battery for the called line.

Upon completion of the conversation, both subscribers' will of course replace their receivers. The system will be released in the following manner? Line relay i253 will restore as its previ- 3 i ously traced energizing circuit will now be open at the switchhook at substation B. Relay I30 will of course release as its energizing circuit will now be open at contacts 52L Relay I36, in restoring and therefore opening contacts lSI opens the previously traced locking circuit for relay Iiit; and in closing contacts I33, prepares the self-interrupted homing circuit for motor mag net 498. The removal of ground on contacts ISI also releases line and cut-off relay ie, energizing circuit therefor having been traced hereinbefore. Relay its, in restoring and therefore opening contacts WE, opens the locking circuits of relays Hi3 and tilt, said circuits having been traced hereinbefore. Relay I80, in opening contacts 5%, removes ground from guard lead Relay I'i'fi therefore restores and, in opening contacts i112 and I'll, opens the energizing circuits for relays 25 and 488, said circuits having been traced hereinbefore. stores and, in opening contacts 2-34, opens the circuit to relay 38. Relay 483, in restoring, closes contacts @83 and completes the homing circuit of magnet 5-5353, over the following path: ground at off-normal springs iiii, conductor I63, contacts M5, E33, conductor 13%, contacts 488, 4&1, through connector motor magnet 1% to battery. Motor magnet 4% therefore operates intermittently in an obvious self-interrupted Wellknown manner by opening its circuit at contacts 59i. Motor magnet 399 will step wipers 355 to 469 to the twenty-sixth or home position at which time off-normal springs 4Y5 opens its energizing circuit. Relay I40 also restores as its energizing circuit is opened at contacts G15. Relay iZii restores when the called subscriber at substation A replaces the receiver, the energizing circuit having been traced hereinbefore. Back bridge relay ilii will restore when its energizing circuit is opened by the restoration of re lay 428. The entire system is now released and is conditioned for further service.

Voice paging over voice pager A Voice paging by the subscriber at substation B over voice pager A will now be considered. It will be remembered that in order for a subscriber to page over voice pager A the substation utilized must have its EC contact in the voice pager finder banks appropriately marked. It will also be remembered that the digit 1 must be dialled initially in order to obtain access to voice pager A. Voice paging by a subscriber at substation B (as its associated contact in the EC bank of the voice paging finder is marked) will be considered. The operation of the system up to and including the dialling of the digit 1 is similar to that described in the previous section.

A short review upon completion of dialling the digit 1 will reveal that wipers 565 to 459 have been advanced to engage their respective first contacts; relay tilt has restored contacts M2 and completed circuits to relays Ill! and I and also opened the circuit to relay sec. Relay E59 operates over the following path: ground at contacts IE6, conductor I55, contacts 412, wiper 469 and engaged first contact, conductor IE2, through relay ifili to battery. Relay 468, in restoring and therefore closing contacts 46L completes a circuit for the lower winding of relay tilt to operate in series with parallel connected relays 326 and 338 (Fig. 3), over the following path: ground at contacts I72, conductor Mt, contacts 555, 432, through lower winding of relay 388, contacts G86, contacts i6I, conductor Relay 485 therefore re- I39, contacts I'lI, conductor I38, wiper 46'! and its engaged first contact, conductor 356, contacts 353 through relays 326 and 330 to battery. Relay Iiiii, in operating and therefore closing contacts I52, prepares an operating circuit for relay IE5. Relay 138, in operating, completes a look-- ing circuit for itself from ground at contacts H2 over its X contacts 385. Relay 58!), in operating and therefore closing contacts 484, applies ground for maintaining relays 32B and 330 operated.

Relay 33G operates at the same time or slightly ahead of relay 32?], thereby preventing relay 34:3 from operating at this time because of open contacts 33!. Relay 3%, in operating and therefore closing contacts 32!, completes an energizing circuit for relay 3%, over the following path: ground at contacts 32!, contacts 3| I, 351?, through relay Silil to battery. Relay 329 also, in closing contacts 32L completes a ore-energizing circuit for the upper winding of relay 3 I El through resistor Rt, thereby rendering relay 3H3 extremely fast to operate. Relay 320, in closing contacts 322 supplies battery potential through the lower winding of 3m to the extra-control Wiper 385 for providing means for stopping the voice paging finder when the extra-control wiper 3&5 encounters the calling line. Relay 326, in closing contacts 323, prepares a circuit for relay 346. Relay 398, in operating and therefore closing contacts Elli, compietes an obvious energizing circuit for voice paging finder motor magnet Silt. Magnet 3%, in operating, opens the circuit to relay .390 at contacts 3M. Relay 3% therefore restores and in so doing opens the circuit to motor magnet 386 at contacts 36 I. Motor magnet 396 therefore restores and in so doing again completes the circuit to relay 3%. This well-known relay interrupted stepping continues, with the voice paging finder wipers 382 to 365 rotary stepping each time motor magnet 3% restores, until wiper 3S5 engages the terminal of the calling or paging line. When wiper N35 has stepped to the contact on its bank associated with the calling line, fast acting relay 3H will operate, over the following path: ground at relay I Hi, through relay H533, conductor I43, contacts 434, conductor I il, contacts I52, I13, regular finder wiper I 29 and its engaged contact, conductor I87, cable CIEO, conductor I81, wiper 385, lower winding of relay 3H), contacts 322, resistor R5 to battery. Relay 3m operates before relay 3% has had time to re-operate and therefore opens the circuit to relay 3B0 at contacts 3H. Relay SH], in closing contacts 3I2, shunts resistor R6 for providing a self-holding circuit for itself via contacts 32! and 3 I2. Relay 350, in closing contacts 3I3, applies ground through wiper 3G4 and conductor I88 to line and cut-oil relay 49 via cable CIBG and contacts 42 in order to maintain that relay operated and to busy substation B to all other calls.

Relay I 66, therefore operates and, in opening contacts IBI, initiates the release of the illustrated finder-connector link (which has been seized by substation B) by opening the hereinbefore described circuit to relay I30. Relay I90 disconnects the talking conductors of substation B from line relay I28 at contacts iill and ISB. Relay I05), in restoring, also removes ground from contacts Iilt allowing relay I?!) to restore. Line relay I25 restores and opens the circuit to slowto-release relay I36. Relay Il'll opens the looking circuit of relay 4% at contacts H2 and at contacts H3 opens the circuit to the lower winding of relay 3m. Relay 3H3, however, now remains operated through its upper winding. Relay I10 also, in opening contacts E13, opens the previously described circuit to relay I60, causing it to restore. Relay eat, in restoring and therefore opening contacts 85, removes the holding ground from relays 323 and 336; and in closing contacts 488, prepares the self-interrupted circuit for connector motor magnet 4%. Relay I39 has now restored and at contacts I33 completes the self-interrupting circuit for motor magnet see. Magnet 4% restores wipers 465 to 859 to their home position in the manner as described in the previous section, and off-normal springs M5 are thereby opened. Relay I40 therefore restores allowing the finder connectorlink to be completely restored and therefore. conditioned for handling future calls.

Referring now to the voice paging finder equip ment, relay restores ahead of the slow-trelease relay 3225, thereby completing an obvious energizing circuit to relay 346 via contacts 323 and 33!. Relay 3d!) therefore operates and, in closing contacts 3M and 342, connects the talking conductors to relay 350... Relay 355 now operates, over the following path: ground, through lower winding of relay 356, contacts 342, conductor 314, wiper 393 and its associated engaged contact, conductor i8 5, cable. Clflil, conductor E34, positive talking conductor +L, over calling subscribers loop at substation E, negative talking conductor -L, conductor I83, cable Cit-3, conductor I83, wiper 302, conductor 313, contacts 3M, through upper winding of relay 358 to battery. Relay 356, in operating and therefore closing contacts 35!, completes an obvious energizing circuit for relay 350. Relay 36!] therefore operates and, in closing contacts 35!, completes an obvious circuit to relay 549 viaconductor 312. Relay 3%, in closing contacts 362, applies ground to the control bank of the connector via conductor 456 in order to busy voice pager A to other calls. Relay see, in opening contacts 363, further opens the circuit. to relays 328 and 336. Relay 3%, in closing contacts 354, applies an additional ground to mark the calling or paging line B as being in a busy condition; and in closing contacts 365, completes an obvious energizing circuit for relay 3% in order to maintain the calling or paging line connected to voice pager A. The paging subscriber at substation B. is now connected to the voice pager A equipment.

Conductors I85 and I82 have been shown in the drawings; but it will be understood that in asmuch as line A is not connected to EC bank 335, said conductors could have been eliminated altogether.

Before proceeding further, a portion of the timing mechanism will be described. The timer can be considered a unit which makes one revolution every 24 hours. Cam 516 (Fig. opens its springs, namely 51.8, during the non-working portion of the day only. This allows current to flow through transformer 5'52 from the power source during the work portion of the day for maintaining a steady supply of filament heating voltage to the rectifier and amplifier tubes. Assuming now that this paging call from substation 75 is made during the working portion of the day, relay 5%, upon operating and therefore closing contacts 5M, applies regular commercial power to the high voltage transformer 513. As the filament of this high voltage rectifier is now heated, plate supply voltage through 14 filter 51I will be immediately applied to the amplifier tubesv in amplifier 51H.

Relay 56%] operates responsive to the application of plate voltage to amplifier 510, Relay 560, in closing contacts 56I, applies a tone to the amplifier 510, as well as to the calling subscriber on line B. This tone serves three purposes: it indicates to the caller that his line has been found, it tells him that the amplifier is conditioned for immediate paging, and it tells the people in proximity to loudspeaker 511, associated with the amplifier 518, that voice paging.

will immediately follow. Relay 560 also, in closing contacts 562, energizes relay 55%] from ground at contacts535. Relay 555, being of the slowto-operate type, opens contacts 55I a short time.

after the previously described tone has been applied to the line. This tone is, of course, removed by the opening of contacts 55L Paging may now be accomplished by the subscriber at substation E, over the following path: substation B, positive talking conductor +L, conductor i8 1, cable CISO, conductor 584, wiper 3G3, conductor 314, contacts 342, conductor 316, condenser CI i,

- contacts 533, amplifier input transformer, contacts 53], condenser CH conductor 315, contacts 34I, conductor 313, wiper 362, conductor H83, cable CIQG, conductor I83, negative talking conductor L, and back to substation B.

The purpose of the other timer, namely, cam 515, will now be discussed. Cam 515 is included as a: means for establishing starting and dismissal signals to the staff, or any other signals that may be desired to communicate. As can be seen from the timer arrangement, these signals will be transmitted during the work portion of the day; thus the rectifier and amplifier tubes will be in a standby condition. From the drawing. it also can be seen that springs 51? will be closed at the desired times that signals are to be transmitted. A relay timing arrangement, comprising relays 5051, Eli] and 52% are included as a means for determining the duration of time that each signal will be transmitted out over the voice pager, irrespective of the period of time that springs 51? close. Relay 52a operates over the following path: ground at springs 511, contacm 502, through relay 526 tobattery. Relay 52.0, in operating and therefore closing contacts 52!, causes relay 530 to operate over an obvious circuit. Relay 533, in operating and therefore closing contacts 532 and. 534, applies another tone, namely tone 2, to the amplifier 510 for communicating to the staff. Relay 530 also, in closing contacts 536, operates relay 540 for causing application of plate voltage to the amplifier 510. At this time it should be noted that if a subscriber is paging over voice pager A, the paging circuit will be opened at contacts 53I and. 533. It should also be noted that relay 533, in opening contacts 535, opens the energizing aircuit to relay 55E! causing contacts 55I to close, thereby applying tone 1 back to the paging subscriber. This tone 1 will indicate to a paging subscriber that a signal is being communicated to the staff. Returning to relay 520, it will be seen that, in closing contacts 522, relay 5 i I energizes. Relay 5" in operating and thereby closing. contacts 5II, causes relay 580 to operate. Relay 550, in operating and thereby closing contacts 5! applies ground from springs 511 to itself. Relay 580, in operating and thereby opening contacts 562, opens the circuit to relay 520. Relay 520 will therefore restore and openv contacts 52I, causing relay 530 to restore. Relay 35 530, in restoring, removes signal tone 2 from amplifier E'lfi. Thus, it will be seen that relays B9, 5H} and 53!) co-operate to limit the time that a signal will be transmitted.

Returning to cam 5%, it can be seen that springs 5% will be opened, during the non-work portion of the day. Under these conditions, relay 5%, in operating responsive to a paging call, will close the power supply circuit to the filament transformer M2 over contacts b ll and 542. Relay 569 now will be delayed in operating until the rectifier filament and amplifier filaments are sufiiciently heated for amplification.

Upon termination of paging, the calling subscriber will, of course, replace the receiver. Relay 358 will therefore restore, causing relay sec to restore. Relay 3%, in restoring and thereby opening contacts 335, releases the voice pager by causing relay 5% to restore. Relay 3%, in restoring and therefore opening contacts 352, removes the busy marking from the regular connector; in opening contacts 3%, removes busy marking from the calling lines finder; and in opening contacts 3%, opens the circuit to relay 3 -0. Relay 3% therefore restores and in opening contacts Eli! and 3&2 opens the circuit to the calling subscribers line. The voice paging finder is now conditioned for further paging calls over voice pager A.

Voice paging over voice pager B It will be remembered that in order to page over voice pager B the substation that the subscriber desires to page through must be equipped with a non-locking push button, as ll, which will function as a cut-in on busy key. Assuming now that the subscriber at substation l3 wishes to page over voice pager B, he may do so by dialling the digit 2. The operation of the regular finder and connector will be the same as that described hereinbefore.

However, after the pulsing has been received and connnector motor magnet has advanced wipers 65 to .69 to the second set of contacts, the circuit to relay llfl will be open at contacts I22 by relay I29. Relay are therefore restores and, in opening contacts il i, opens the circuit to relay 466. However, relay 43%, being of the slow-torelease type, will not restore immediately, thereby providing a time interval to test for busy. Voice pager B is normally marked busy so wiper 467 will encounter ground on its engaged contact. Busy relay 338 will now operate, over the following path: ground at contacts of i, conductor 451 wiper on, conductor E38, contacts ill, conductor are, contacts Q52, through busy relay 430 to battery. Relay see, in closing contacts 43!, completes a previously traced busy tone circuit to station B; in opening contacts 332, opens the previously traced energizng circuit to the lower winding of relay Pt; and in closing contacts G33, prepares a locking circuit for itself. Relay 488 now restores and, in closing contacts 453, completes a locking circuit to relay 436, over the following path: ground at contacts Hi2, conductor i663, contacts 455, 333, 56, 433, through relay 36 to battery.

At this point it may be stated that if calling subscriber at substation B was calling another line in the exchange and that called line was busy at the time, said callng subscriber could, by the operation of key ll, cut-in on that busy line. This feature is completely described in the pending application, Serial No. 794,601, filed by Clarence E. Loma-x, December 30, 1947.

" the wipers of 465 and Wt, respectively.

Upon hearing busy tone, the subscriber at substation E depresses the non-locking key 31, thereby completing a circuit to cut-in relay 55$, over the following path: ground at key ll, conductor I96, wiper I29, contacts H3, 25!, conductor [37, contacts 343, through relay Hill to battery. Relay Q50 therefore operates and, in opening contacts 452, removes busy tone from the line. Relay 35%], in opening contacts 4-53, causes relay Mil to operate, over the following path: ground at contacts 5! i, conductor 55?, wiper tel, conductor H33, contacts Ill, conductor E39, contacts ib-l, 333, through relay Mil, contacts Q33,

through relay tee to battery. Relay 4% therefore operates and, in closing contacts 32 supplies a holding ground for relay 555i. Relay 340 also, in closing contacts Mi, completes an energizing circuit to relay 6%, over the following path: ground at key il, conductor 5%, wiper E29, contacts H3, iii, conductor Itl, contacts 6:31, conductor 427, through relay mil to battery. Relay 6M3 operates and, in closing contacts 6G2, locks to the ground at key ll, by-passng contacts Ml. Relay tilt also, in closing contacts Bill, completes an obvious energizing circuit for relay 5W. Relay Gill operates and, in opening contacts 6i i, opens the energizing circuits, previously described, to relays Q39 and MG. Relay $30 will therefore restore, whereas relay 4%, being of the slow-to-release type, will remain operated momentarily. Before relay 349 restores, relay Gill, in closing contacts M2, will cause cutthrough relay 438D to operate over the following path: ground at contacts 1'52, conductor M8, contacts 55, 532, through lower winding of relay 380, contacts 186, contacts 365, conductor E39, contacts ill, conductor E38, wiper 45 i and its engaged second contact, conductor Q51, contacts 552, through resistor R2 to battery. Relay 286, in operating and therefore closing contacts 535, completes a locking circuit for itself from ground at contacts Hi2 via conductor 5%. Relay 5%, in closing contacts 482 and 183 connects the talking conductors to conductors Mi l and d ll through Key 47 may now be released, thereby causing relays 509 and bill to release.

The line is now switched through to voice pager B and ringing current will be transmitted thereto. The ring cut-off relay 42B operates in a manner prevously described over relay 626 and resistance R3, instead of a called subscribers loop. The back bridge relay dis therefore operates, as previously described, and supplies battery for operatng relay 62:). Relay 6253, in operating and therefore closing contacts 82!, completes an obvious circuit to relay Relay tee operates and, in opening contacts 63 l removes resistor R3 from the line in order to improve transmission. Relay 539, in closing contacts 532, completes an obvious circuit to relay 5%.

The timer mechanism is similar to that described in voice pager A so it will be understood that the rectifier and amplifier tubes will be in a standby condition during the work portion of the day. Relay 699, in operating and therefore closing contacts fifii, applies regular commercial power to transformer 5 l 3, thereby supplying plate voltage to the amplifier 693. Relay E35 will operate when amplifier M33 is conditioned for amplification. Relay 695, in closing contacts 6%, informs the paging subscriber at substation B that paging may be accomplished; and also informs the people in proximity to the voice paging loud speaker 69? that paging is about to begin. Relay 595, in closing contacts 691, completes a circuit to operate relay 640 from ground at contacts 615, via contacts 685 and 691. Relay 695, in closing contacts 698, prepares a circuit for relay 660. Relay 640 being of the slow-to-opcrate type will not operate immediately, thereby allowing a short duration of time for tone I to be impressed on the line before the circuit is open at contacts 64!, caused by the operation of relay 640. The subscriber at substation B may now page, over the following circuit: subscribers loop at substation B, positive talking conductor +L, wiper I21, contacts 103, condenser C2, conductor I36, contacts 425, 83, wiper 456 and its engaged second contact, conductor 441, contacts 613, 6 83, condenser CS, amplifier input -transformer, condenser C8, contacts 681, 61!, conductor 444, wiper 645, contacts 482, 422, conductor 135, condenser CI contacts ml, wiper t2 6 ,negative talking conductor -L, and back to the paging subscriber's loop at substation l3.

Tone 2 in voice pager B, similar to that described in voice pager A, is amplified out over loud speaker 601 in the same manner herein-before described. Relays 650, 660 and 665 function in the same manner as relays 500, 5E0, and 52!), with the exception that relay 695 must now be operated. Relay 61D operates in a similar manner as relay 530 and for a similar purpose. The operation of relay B80, manually operated by key 699, may be used for causing still another class of signals to be transmitted-for example, fire alarm. Relay 680 in operating and therefore closing contacts 682 and 684 applies tone 3 to amplifier 503, predominating over any voice paging or signals in progress at the time.

Upon the termination of paging, the subscriber at substation 'B replaces the receiver. The finder and connector will release in a manner hereinbefore described. Relay 480 will restore when its holding circuit is opened at contacts I12, opening the circuit to relay 620. Relay .620 will therefore restore and open the circuit to relay 63.0, causing it to restore. Relay 630 in restoring opens the circuit to relay 690; which in turn causes the removal of plate voltage from the amplifier 683 and rectifier 6I5. Voice pager B is now conditioned for future paging.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described my invention in detail, what we claim and desire to have protected by issuance of Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a telephone system, a voice paging ampli fier, a plurality of subscriber lines, a finder-connector link serving all of said lines, a voice paging finder serving certain of said lines, means for marking said certain of said lines at said voice paging finder for distinguishing those lines having access to said voice paging amplifier; means operable responsive to dialling a certain digit over said finder-connector link, when calling from a line that is appropriately marked at said voice paging finder, for causing said voice paging finder to find the calling line; and means I operated thereafter for establishing a paging call over said voice paging amplifier from the calling line.

2. In a telephone system .as claimed in claim :1, means for causing said finder-connector link to fill 18 release once the calling line is found by said voice paging finder, thereby freeing said finder-con- .nector'link for use by other calls.

3. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 1, means for busying the calling line when in use, and means for :busying said voice paging finder when in use.

4. In a telephone system, a plurality of subscriber lines, a finder-connector link serving all of said lines, a voice paging finder serving certain of said lines, a voice paging amplifier connected to said voice paging finder, means for marking certain of said lines at said voice paging finder for electrically distinguishing those lines having access to said voice paging amplifier, means operable responsive to the dialling of a certain digit over said finder-connector link from any of said lines for causing said voice pag ing finder to search for the calling line, said voice paging finder stopping on the calling line and connecting thereto if said calling line is appropriately marked at said voice paging finder, and means operable responsive to the establish ment of a paging call over said voice paging finder and associated amplifier for releasing said finderconnector link for immediate use by other lines.

5. In a telephone system, a plurality of sub scriber lines, a finder-connector link for establishing calls between any two of said lines, a voice paging finder having access to certain of said lines, marking means at said voice paging finder associated with each of said certain of said lines for distinguishing those lines having voice paging service, a voice paging amplifier linked to said voice paging finder for effecting voice paging calls from said certain of said lines, means in said finder-connector link operable responsive to dialling a certain digit over any of said lines for causing said voice paging finder to search for the calling line, means in said finder-connector link cooperating with said marking means for causing said voice paging finder to find said calling line if said calling line is appropriately marked by said marking means,

means operable responsive to the complete connection of said calling line to said voice paging finder for causing said voice paging finder to switch said calling line therethrough to said voice paging amplifier, said calling line thereafter being directly connected to said voice paging amplifier for subsequent voice paging, and means operable responsive to the establishment of the direct connection to said voice paging amplifier for causing said finder-connector link to release for future service by other of said lines.

6. In a telephone system as claimed in claim additional means operable responsive to the establishment of the direct connection to said voice paging amplifier for causing a first audible signal tone current to be transmitted out over said voice paging amplifier as well as back to the calling subscriber, said first audible signal tone being sent in order to inform the calling subscriber that he may begin paging and also to inform the people within hearing range of the output of said voice paging amplifier that voice paging will immediately follow.

7. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 5, means in said voice paging amplifier operby minimizing the power dissipation of said voice paging amplifier.

8. In a telephone system as claimed in claim '7, timing means insaid voice paging amplifier for causing filament voltage to be continuously applied to the rectifier and amplifier tubes thereof only during a certain portion of the day, thereby further minimizing the power dissipation of said voice paging amplifier, said means for applying plate voltage to said tubes also causing filament voltage to be. applied to the rectifier and amplifier tubes during other than said certain portion of the day.

9. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 6, additional timing means for causing a second audible signal tone current to be momentarily transmitted out over said voice paging amplifier at various predetermined times of the day, means controlled by said additional timing means for momentarily disconnecting any calling line that may be connected to said voicc paging amplifier during the transmission of said second signal tone current, and means also controlled by said additional timing means for causing said first audible signal tone current to be transmitted back to the calling subscriber to indicate that said second signal tone current is being transmitted over said voice paging amplifier at that time.

10. In a telephone system, a plurality of sub scriber lines, a plurality of substations on said lines, means at each substation for transmitting a series of impulses corresponding to different digits, a finder-connector link for establishing calls between any two of said lines, a voice paging amplifier accessible to said finder-connector link, means in said findenconnector link operated in response to the receipt of a predetermined digit sent by a calling subscriber for connecting said voice paging amplifier to said finder-connector link, means normally preventing the calling line from being connected to said voice paging amplifier after said finder-connector link has connected thereto, manually controlled means at certain of substations for controlling said preventing means; said preventing means operated in response to operation of said control means at certain of said substations for establishing a complete connection from the calling substation to said voice paging amplifier for subsequent voice paging.

11. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 10, a source of audible signal tone current, addiditional means operable responsive to the operation of said preventing means for connecting said source of audible signal tone current to the line to be transmitted to said voice paging amplifier and to said calling substation, said tone being sent to signal the calling subscriber to begin paging and also to signal the people Within hearing range or the output of said voice paging amplifier that voi e paging will immediately follow.

12. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 10, means in said voice paging amplifier operable responsive to connection of said finder-connector link to said amplifier for causing plate voltage to be applied to the rectifier and the amplifier tubes of said voice paging amplifier, thereby minimizthe power dissipation of said voice paging amplifier during standby periods.

13. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 12, timing means in said voice paging amplifier, said timing means effective for causing filament voltage to be continuously applied to the rectifier and amplifier tubes of said amplifier only during a certain portion of the day, said means for applying plate voltage to said tubes also causing filament voltage to be applied to the rectifier and amplifier tubes during other than said certain portion of the day.

14. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 11, a second source of audible signal tone current, additional timing means, said additional timing means efiective for connecting said second source of audible signal tone current to said line to be momentarily transmitted out over said voice paging amplifier at various predetermined times of the day, means controlled by said additional timing means for momentarily disconnecting any calling line that may be connected to said voice paging amplifi r during the transmission of said second signal tone on rent, and other means also controlled by said additional timing means for connecting said first audible signal tone current to said line to be transmitted back to the calling subscriber to indicate that said second signal tone is being transmitted over said voice paging amplifier at that time.

15. In a telephone system as claimed in claim 10, a source of audible signal tone current, additional connecting means, said additional connecting means manually operated for connecting said source of audible signal tone current to said voice paging amplifier for special signalling at any time of the day.

16. In a telephone exchange, a plurality of lines, a plurality of substations on said lines, a first voice paging system, a second voice paging system, connecting means associated with said first voice paging system, said connecting means having access only to certain of said lines, switching means for extending connections from said lines, means at each substation for transmitting a series of impulses over said connection corresponding to different digits, said switching means operated inv response to the transmission of a particular series of impulses for operating said connecting means and causing it to seize only one of said certain lines and connect it to said first voice paging system, a control means at certain of said substations, and means controlled by the operation of said control means for controlling said switching means to permit the connection only of said substations having said control means to said second voice paging system for establishing voice paging calls thereof.

17. In I a telephone exchange, a plurality of lines, a plurality of substations on each line, a plurality of voice paging systems, switching means having access to said lines, means responsive to a call from any of said substations for operating said switching means to extend a connection therefrom, connecting means for extending connections from said lines to one of said voice paging systems, means in said switching means controlled from any of said substations for causing the operation of said connecting means, said connecting means effective when operated to connect with only certain of said lines, means in said switching means for extending connections from any line to another of said voice paging systems, and control means at only certain of the substations for completing one of said last extended connections.

18. In a telephone exchange, a plurality of lines, a plurality of substations on said lines, means at said substations for transmitting series of impulses corresponding to different digits, a first voice paging system, a second voice paging system, means for connecting certain of said lines to said first voice paging system, switching means, said switching means operated in response to the receipt of a particular series of impulses for controlling the operation of said connecting means to connect certain lines to said first voice paging system, control means at certain substations, said control means momentarily operated by a subscriber at any of said certain substations to control the operation of said switching means, said switching means effective in response to said control for connecting said calling subscriber with said second voice paging system.

19. In a telephone exchange, a line, a plurality of substations on said line, means at said substations for transmitting series of impulses corresponding to different digits, a plurality of voice paging systems, all of said substations having access to one common voice paging system, certain of said substations having access to all of said voice paging systems, means for extending a connection from said line, means operated in response to said extension for connecting said line to said common Voice paging system, means effective in response to said connection for releasing said extending means for other service, control means at said certain substations, said extending means operated in response to the receipt of a different series of impulses for extending a connection to another of said voice paging systems, said control means operated at said certain substations to control the operation of said extending means, said extending means effective in response to said control for establishing connection between said calling line and said other voice paging systems,

20. In a telephone system, a plurality of lines, a plurality of substations on said lines, a finderconnector link for establishing calls between any two of said lines, a voice paging amplifier, said finder-connector link having access to said voice paging amplifier, means at said substation for transmitting over said lines series of impulses corresponding to various digits, said finder-connector link operated in response to the receipt of impulses corresponding to a predetermined digit for extending said calling line to said voice paging amplifier, busy indicating means, said busy indicating means effective in response to said extension of the line to deny connection to said voice paging amplifier, control means at certain of said substations, said control means operated at said calling certain substation to remove said busy indicating means and to effect a connection of said calling line to said voice paging amplifier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,586,554 Goodrum June 1, 1926 2,397,881 Nitterauer Apr. 2, 1946 2,494,475 Hersey Jan. 10, 1950 

